Melting
by Mizu Miyamoto
Summary: Zabuza dies, leaving behind a depressed Haku. However, through a near death encounter, Haku's life is changed. Can Haku find his own purpose? Potential HakuSaku
1. Ichi

Melting

By Mizu Miyamoto

**Disclaimer: Finally! A new Haku story! Later on, there will be some HakuSaku. Also, there will be no shonen or shoujou ai in this fic. This is my story, but the characters are not. They all belong to the manga ka Musashi Kishimoto and the studio he works for. So please enjoy and R&R!**

Author's note: this starts in episode 18

* * *

**Ichi**

* * *

_I failed…I've failed Zabuza-san…_

Kakashi's fist had already gouged a mortal wound in Zabuza's chest. Blood fell to the ground, gathering in pools near Zabuza's feet. Haku stared at the sight, petrified. He had arrived too late to take the blow for the only person he cared about. Zabuza's eyes darted around in their socket, and fixated themselves on the boy.

"You failed…me" said Zabuza, speaking the last of the words. Blood spewed out of the dying man's mouth, and like a flick of a switch, the shinobi was dead.

"You failed me". That line hit Haku harder than a giant shuriken. He slumped to his feet, and hung his head. Hot tears trickled from Haku's brown eyes and landed gently like snowflakes onto his lap.

Kakashi stared at the boy. _He's too hurt to attack…he has no purpose other than to serve that man…better go round up the rest of the team…_

* * *

"Sasuke-kun…Sasuke-kun…" Sakura sobbed over her comrade's body. Needles protruded from everywhere on his body. Tazuna, who stood by Sakura, shed a few tears.

"Sakura….you're heavy…."

"Sasuke-kun?" gasped Sakura, taking her head off his chest. Sasuke was alive, but in need of medical attention. His eyes reflected the amount of pain that coursed throughout his body.

"You're aliiiiiive!" she cheered. She cheered so loud that Naruto, who was looking for Haku, heard Sakura's jubilant cry. The mist was a little less dense, so he could see easier. His two teammates, as well as the bridge builer, were not far off in the distance. As soon as he arrived near the two, Kakashi appeared in a poof of smoke.

"Wow, for once he's not late," Naruto chuckled. Kakashi dug around in his pockets, searching for some gauze and disinfectant. However, the wounds of the Land of Mist were not totally patched up yet.

* * *

Near the edge of the bridge, Gatou and his mob unloaded themselves off the yacht on from which they came. "Remember men! Kill Tazuna! The man who brings me his head will be awarded his weight in gold!" announced Gatou. The mob scattered across the bridge, searching for Tazuna, driven by greed and blood lust.

* * *

Haku, who was not too far away from the horde, heard the faint ruckus of their yells and death-threats. _I don't care if I die…I am merely a tool…a tool who no longer has any use._ The pitter-patter of feet sounded. It got closer, and closer with each passing second. Soon enough, he could smell the reeking stench of shinobi who had not taken a bath in several days.

"You! You're Tazuna, aren't you?" growled a very hairy man. He pulled out a sword, and pointed it at Haku's throat.

"No. But I don't care if you kill me," replied Haku.

The hairy man raised an eyebrow. "Okay."

Just then, the world around Haku vanished. In its place was a blazing inferno, filled with souls of evil-looking men. Flames burned their souls down into little heaps of ashes. And then, the ashes returned to back into men.

"Haku! Haku!" a voice called out. Haku spun around.

"Zabuza-san!"

"No Haku!" shouted Zabuza, who was only recognizable by his forehead protector, "Don't die yet! Don't suffer the same fate as me! You still have a life! Do whatever you can do to be good and clean your slate! Kill that evil man Gatou, for he shall also meet his fate here."

"But Zabuza!"

"That is my last will! Now go find your real purpose and live!"

"Yes Zabuza-san," replied Haku. The flames around him dissipated. He then found himself back on the bridge. The hairy man's sword was pointed at his throat.

"No! I will not die yet!" exclaimed Haku, springing to his feet. In one swift motion, he sent three needles through the man's forehead.

_Don't suffer the same fate as me! Do whatever you can do to be good and clean your slate! Kill that evil man Gatou, for he shall also meet his fate here. _

"I'll make sure I have a better view of things," said Haku to himself, "I won't be led astray by evil anymore, even if it is comforting."

And so, he rushed off into the mist to find Gatou and his henchmen.

* * *

"They're taking so long…" mumbled Gatou, smoking a cigar, made of tobacco leaves from the Land of the Hidden Sound. A loud scream came from one of his henchmen. The man fell to the ground, peppered with senbon (needles).

"Bridge builders can fight?" Gatou questioned himself, raising an eyebrow. Then, some men to the left of Gatou died. Something came speeding towards the rich man at an impossible speed. It was Haku.

"Haku! What is the meaning of this?" ordered Gatou, dumbfounded. Right after asking that question, the man was dead, needles lodged in his heart and neck. Haku stood over the dead man's body.

_Now go find your real purpose and live!_ Haku remembered Zabuza's last words, which were a bit uncomforting. However, they were the truth, and Haku needed to accept it.

Haku answered the Gatou's question with the utmost sincerity. "The meaning of this? I did this for myself."

_**TO BE CONTINUED….**_


	2. Ni

**Disclaimer: Hello everyone! Here comes the new chapter in Melting! Once again, these aren't my characters, but it is my story. So if I catch you stealing…..you may wind up as a red streak on the ground. Anyway, although it may seem like a SasuSaku fic at first, there will be SakuHaku. So enjoy, and R&R! Cheers!**

* * *

**Ni**

* * *

Back at Tazuna's house, Kakashi busied himself by tending Sasuke's wounds. He had pulled out most of the senbon from the boy's body earlier on the bridge, but still a few remained.

"Kakashi-sensei, will I ever be able to battle again?"

There was silence for a few seconds.

"Well, since some of the needles punctured your vital organs, you will need to take it easy for about six or so months," Kakashi informed. Sasuke sighed in despair. No battling and no training for at least half a year. It was almost as bad as being one of the elderly ninjas in Konohagakure, who were past their prime and sat in bed all day.

"Damn…" Sasuke muttered.

* * *

Sakura stood outside of Sasuke's room, eavesdropping. _He won't be able to battle for at least six months…_

"What a pathetic shinobi I am…" Sakura mumbled to herself, "If I had been stronger, then he might have been spared…Ino deserves him more than I do."

"Ohaiyo, Sakura-chan!" greeted Naruto, cup of ramen in his hand.

"Hi Naruto…" Sakura replied unenthusiastically.

"Why the long face?"

"It's Sasuke…his injuries won't allow him to battle for six months…"

Naruto struck a triumphant pose. "Don't worry! I'll make up for Sasuke!"

Sakura leaned herself against the wall and slid to the ground. _He can barely even do his part…_

"Naruto, just leave me alone right now," Sakura ordered, "Don't talk to me."

"Alright…" Naruto walked away glumly. Kakashi sauntered out of Sasuke's room. He looked down and saw Sakura.

"You're hurt too? I didn't see any needles sticking out of you earlier…"

"No, it's not that…it's…" Sakura decided not to tell Kakashi her problem. She didn't want to sound like a weak, sensitive ninja. "I'm going to go take a walk around the village. I'll be back for dinner." She rose off the ground, dusted herself off, and went out the front door.

"Must be a girl thing…" Kakashi muttered, "Anyway…I haven't been able to read my book lately." He pulled Makeout Paradise from his pocket and lost himself in the world of porny literature.

* * *

It was your average, muggy night in the Village of the Mist. The air was enveloped with the smell of roasting fish, a specialty food in the village. There were a few people out on the streets, as well as a stray mutt or two. Haku exited a small grocery, holding a bag of vegetables and bread.

_All right, so I got rid of one evil in this world. But that can't be my sole reason for existence._ He walked down the street, and noticed a lonely shamisen player. He stopped by to listen. The player wasn't that great, but you could hear the musician's soul with every note. The song itself sounded lost and half-baked, probably like the player of the instrument itself, who had a dream at one point, but had faltered and wandered off the path.

_No wonder why it's so hard to find a reason in my life…this village is festered with people with no hope for a better future. If I am ever to live, I have to get off this island._ He tipped the player a coin. The musician looked up and smiled, but Haku had already walked away to receive any thanks.

* * *

Haku sat down on the porch of his house. It wasn't really a house, it was merely a three-roomed shack in the middle of the woods. He and Zabuza had hung out here before being associated with Gatou.

Breaking off a piece off bread, Haku realized how lonely he was. It was the first time in several years that he had eaten alone. He missed Zabuza terribly. He knew Zabuza was evil, but he filled the void in Haku's heart. Zabuza was like a stolen meal. It satisfied your stomach, but you felt bad about eating it. Haku wanted to cry.

_I can't let myself cry…I have to be strong!_ The tears came anyway._ Stop crying! I won't let myself cry! I won't let myself cry!_ Haku's sadness turned into anger.

"Why can't I stop crying!" he shouted, pulling some senbon from his pocket, subsequently flinging them at a tree.

* * *

Sakura had just exited the village when she heard some yelling come from the woods. _I have to go see! Somebody might be in trouble! _She ran as fast as her legs could carry her, ignoring the branches that snapped against her legs and arms. She stopped when she came to a small clearing in the forest. There was a small shack in the clearing, but what caught her attention was a boy, who looked much like a girl. He stood hunched over, panting. In his left hand he held a bunch of senbon.

_It's the boy from earlier! _

He looked over at her angrily, but when he realized who she was, the rage melted from his face. The senbon dropped from his hand to the grass.

Sakura explained,"I'm sorry to intrude! Please don't kill me! I thought someone was in trouble so I came to investi-"

"It's all right. I'm not going to kill you. I was just angry at myself and was blinded by my rage."

"Angry? Why?" Sakura questioned.

"Because I'm weak."

_But how can he feel weak? He nearly killed Sasuke! _

"Sakura, could you stay awhile?" questioned Haku. Sakura's stomach growled. "It sounds like you haven't had dinner yet."

"I really should be going."

"Oh, ok," Haku said, "You're lucky you have someone to eat dinner with."

It was then Sakura noticed Haku's real feelings towards her. Since Zabuza was dead, Haku had nobody to lean on. Haku didn't want to kill Sakura, he just wanted some company.

"On second thought," said Sakura, "I think I'll join you for dinner."

* * *

Haku and Sakura sat on the front porch, eating vegetables and bread. It had grown dark now, and the only source of light was the stars and a few lanterns. "Do you like the Village of the Mist?" questioned Sakura, trying to make small talk to break the silence.

"No, not really. I did back when I lived with my parents, but the land has changed since then. Now, it's just a well of sorrow."

"What do you mean?" questioned Sakura.

"The people in this town seem to have a lost cause. Nobody really has any goals, nobody really cares about anything," said Haku. He picked up a carrot. "They're just like these vegetables. They just exist. They grow, and then die."

"I guess you must feel like a vegetable now that you've lost Zabuza."

Haku was stunned. She was able to read his feelings like an open book. "Yeah, I guess I do," he said with a bit of a chuckle. Then with a serious tone he asked, "Do you believe in divine intervention?"

"Yeah."

"Well, after the battle this morning, I almost died. I was at the swordpoint of one of Gatou's men. I wished to die and join Zabuza-san. But all of a sudden, I found myself in this world full of flames. I saw many evil men burning in them. One of them was Zabuza-san. However, he told me he didn't want me to die yet. He told me repent and find my purpose in life. And after that, I found myself back in this world. I killed off Gatou's henchmen, and then Gatou himself."

"Wow. That does sound like divine intervention," said Sakura.

"I swore I would live a clean life. I swore I would fight evil. And I promised myself I'd find my purpose. Sakura-chan, what's your purpose?"

"Well," she replied, "There's a special ninja in my group…"

Sasuke. That boy that Haku had almost killed earlier, was Sakura's reason in life. Haku felt awful that he had almost taken away Sakura's reason in life. Haku apologized, "Sakura-chan, I am sorry for what I did to Sasuke this morning. If you don't mind, I'd like to aid him in his recovery."

"I would like that," replied Sakura, "I would like that very much."

"I'll be seeing you tomorrow then. You best be heading back. Your comrades are missing you."

"Thank-you Haku," thanked Sakura, bowing. As she walked off, Sakura thought of something. She may not of been able to protect Sasuke, but she had found someone to help him. She smiled at the thought, and forgot her worries as she traveled back to Tazuna's house.

* * *

"Where's Sakura-chan?" questioned Naruto, eating vegetable soup.

"She went out for a walk. She said she would be back for dinner…" informed Kakashi.

"Or maybe she got lost!" suggested Inari.

"Hi, I'm back!" announced Sakura, coming in through the front door.

"We're having vegetable soup for dinner!" announced Inari's mom. Sakura sighed._ I just ate vegetables for dinner…_

_**TO BE CONTINUED…**_


	3. San

**Disclaimer: Hi, it's me, Mizu! I have a new chapter for you all! Lately, I have been rather lethargic and dizzy, so it is hard for me to write on the computer. I apologize for this late chapter. Anyway, I pray you continue to enjoy my HakuSaku fic. **

**Author's note: Anything with an + denotes an author's note which can be viewed at the bottom of the fic.**

* * *

**San**

* * *

Sakura sat up in bed, yawning deeply. _That was a weird dream I had…Sasuke playing the bagpipes and Kakashi doing the limbo. _She rubbed her eyes, slowly dragged herself out of bed, and got dressed for the day. _I wonder when and where I'll meet that Haku boy…_

* * *

Naruto, who was sitting on a chair, stared hungrily at a box of cornflakes. It wasn't very often he got to eat cornflakes, since he lived just above the poverty line. 

"Oh sorry, these are for Sasuke. You can help yourself to the millet in the pantry," Inari's mother notified, picking up the box of cereal. Naruto's stomach growled in protest to her words. Then, just as soon as she left the room, Sakura entered.

"Any news on Sasuke-kun's condition?" she questioned.

"Yeah, he has first choice on food," grumbled Naruto, "And now we get to eat millet."

Sakura made a disgusted face. _No…not millet…_

_

* * *

_

Around the time that the ninjas of team seven were having breakfast, Haku was already set for the day. He was out of his shack, and had begun the menial trek to where medicinal herbs grew. A slight breeze drifted through the air. There was a rustling noise in some nearby ferns, and a white rabbit jumped out.

"Hi there," said Haku, bending down to the rabbit, "Do you want to come with me?" The rabbit skittered up his arm and sat itself on Haku's shoulder. The rabbit was a gift from Zabuza as a coming home present from a mission.

It was about eleven o' clock when Haku arrived at the herb patch. The place itself was small; nonetheless, it contained a myriad of shrubs suitable for curing ailments and wounds. Haku probed the area for silkweed, the key plant in speeding up Sasuke's recovery. When he found it, he tucked it away in his basket. The rabbit hopped off his shoulder and skittered away into the forest. _Well, now it's about time I met up with Sakura and her team._

* * *

Back at Tazuna's house, the members of team seven (Except for Sasuke and Kakashi) were plucking weeds out of Tazuna's rose garden. Inari participated in the work as well. Sakura pulled out a rose thorn from her hand. She winced in pain. 

"Sakura-chan, do you have a feeling someone is watching us?" questioned Naruto.

"No," she replied, pulling out a long, tubular weed.

"Hey, Sakura-chan, can you get that spot over there?" questioned Inari's mom, pointing to the farthest tip of the garden.

"Yes ma'am."

Just as soon as Sakura began to pull weeds, a hand placed a basket down in front of her. "Haku, is that you?" she queried.

"Yeah, but whisper softly. Your fellow ninja might notice me."

"So what do I do with these herbs?"

"Feed them to Sasuke once every day for about a week. Make sure he takes plenty of water. And please, don't tell them I gave you this. They might be suspicious."

"Alright. Thank-you so much Haku."

"Bye"

Sakura took the basket, and got up.

"You're done already?" questioned Inari.

"No, but I have something to give to Sasuke. I'll be back in a minute."

* * *

"And so you found these while picking weeds?" questioned Kakashi, examining the silkweed leaves. 

"Yeah," Sakura lied.

"I never knew you had such intuition Sakura…you are a very good ninja," Kakashi said, "So, I give these to him once every day for a week?"

"Yes"

Sasuke made a moaning noise. "Don't worry, Sakura's found something that will help you. Say aah," ordered Kakshi. Sasuke opened his mouth weakly, and Kakashi dropped a few leaves in the gaping orifice. Sasuke chewed contently for a few seconds, and then made a face, like a baby who had its first taste of lemon. He reached frantically for the water, and chugged the entire pitcher down.

"I guess this means I'll have to get more water," sighed Kakashi, "Sakura, you're relieved of your de-weeding job. Go ahead and take some R&R."

Sakura knew just what she would do with her spare time.

* * *

"Hmm, this one looks good," Sakura said under her breath, examining a large melon from a vendor. "How much is this one sir?" she questioned the vendor owner.

"Hmmm, I'd say about……..a thousand yen (which is equivalent to ten dollars in the US)," answered the street vendor, rubbing his chin. Sakura gleefully paid the amount due, although it ate up all of her pocket money.

"Would you like it in a bag?" questioned the man. Sakura nodded, and the man quickly brown-bagged it. Normally, Sakura wouldn't be so generous to anyone, but she felt a weird sensation. It was the type of feeling she got when she was around Sasuke, an I-want-to-be-super-nice-to-you state of mind. So naturally, she bought him a melon+.

Walking away from the vendor, she enjoyed the balmy, breezy weather. A few clouds darted the sky. _It's a perfect day to visit Haku. I wonder if days like this are common here. _Her meditating was interrupted by a tap on the shoulder. She instinctively turned around.

"Inari? Why are you here?"

"Your break's up," he panted, "We discovered a beehive up in the attic. We need your help to get rid of it. And after that we have to clean out whatever else is up there."

A sigh escaped Sakura's lips. _I guess I'll just have to wait till tomorrow. I'm sorry Haku. _

* * *

"ITAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!" cried Naruto, running around in circles, bees chasing after him. 

"Yeah, Naruto's not too good with bees," Inari remarked, the pupils in his eyes tracing Naruto's movements.

"ITAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIII!"

Sakura formed the hand movements necessary to complete Bunshin no Jutsu. Soon enough, there was another Naruto in the room, albeit a clone. Sakura manipulated the clone over to the beehive, and made the clone attack it. The bee's turned the attention away from the real Naruto, and sped towards their new attacker. But before any of the bees could sting the clone and discover it was a fake, the clone ran out of the room, and then out of the house. The bees continued to follow. When at last it seemed there were no bees left, the kunoichi flung a set of shuriken into the hive, causing it fall to the floor, where it broke apart.

"Honey!" cried Inari, dipping his finger into the honeycombs.

"Band-Aids," cried Naruto, in an Akamaru-esque whimper.

* * *

"So, you think with his condition improving you'll be able to leave in three days?" questioned Tazuna. 

"Yes, it seems so. If it were back in Konoha-gakure, I would have confined him to the bed until he recovered. But since we're here, I don't want to overstay our welcome," replied Kakashi.

Haku was curled up in a ball under the window of Sasuke's room. He listened intently to the conversation._ This is my chance to escape this place! I could start my new life in Konoha-gakure! If I can convince the rest of the group that I've changed, I just might be able to pull it off!_

"Hold on a second Tazuna, I think I hear an interloper…" said Kakashi, walking over to the window. Haku quickly hand-signed some jutsu, disappeared from his current spot, and reappeared in the woods a few yards away.

"That was close," he sighed, "I almost was caught!"

Kakashi sat back down. "I guess it was probably just a squirrel or rabbit. Anyway-"

As Kakashi continued on with conversation, and as Sakura placed Band-Aids on Naruto, Haku walked down the familiar dirt path for the umpteenth time. Despite the rain, and the change of scenery, Haku bore a smile. Things were taking a turn for the better.

_**TO BE CONTINUED…**_

* * *

**Author's notes**

**_+ So, she bought him a melon. _**In Japan, buying a melon for someone is an expression of thanks. The concept is much like in the US where cake is given to a person as a sign of thanks. The reason why melons are given is that Japan has little land to grow fruits and vegetables. Thus, they are much more rare. Cakes are a common foodstuff in Japan, and can be purchased at almost any food store.


	4. Yon

**DISCLAIMER: I AM SO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING FOR SO LONG! I am very lazy and I am extremely sorry I have made everyone suffer for lack of updates. I will try to update more frequently. Anyway, if there are any italics in this story, it indicates what the character is thinking. And once again, I own none of these characters, except the one guy I made up, Jin Yamaguchi. But I guess even he belongs to Kishimoto-dono, since he is a ninja that hails from a village created by Kishimoto-dono. Just don't use him in any of your stories, since it will make me unhappy. All right, please enjoy this latest installment of the best HakuSaku fic, Melting.**

* * *

**Yon**

Haku's eyes opened slowly. Something wasn't quite right. His vision was too blurry at the moment to tell what was wrong. "Heheheh…we found you," said a voice. Something hit Haku in the back of the head, and his world plunged into darkness.

* * *

The voice echoed over and over in her head. He's gone he's gone he's gone he's gone he's gone he's gone he's gone he's gone he's gone he's gone he's gone he's gone he's gone he's gone he's gone he's gone

he's gone he's gone he's gone he's gone. Sakura woke up, panting and drenched heavily in sweat. Her throat felt quivery like she was about to vomit. "Something bad has happened to Haku!" she gasped. In sheer panic she threw off her bed sheets, grabbed her kunai pouch, and escaped from the house via the window in her room. She didn't even notice that she was still in her nightgown.

* * *

It was raining heavily outside, but Sakura didn't care. She had to get to Haku's house…fast. As she embarked on a dirt trail, she slipped in a puddle of mud, but she quickly rose to her feet and kept on running. Her feet seemed to have a mind of her own.

"I hope nothing serious happened to him," Sakura muttered to herself, but in the back of her mind she knew it was not so. As she skidded to a halt in front of Haku's house, she noticed the front door was hanging on its hinges. When she stepped inside, she noticed Haku's bedroom. The bed sheets were on the floor, and there were several muddy footprints on them. "Haku! Haku!" she cried in vain, but the only thing that could be heard was the empty splash of rain.

* * *

Haku woke up with a dull pain in the back of his head. Things still seemed off kilter.

"So, how do you like your new home?" asked the mysterious voice Haku had heard earlier. Haku came to realize that he was chained down to a table in the middle of a jail cell. His fingers were held down by metal restraints, so that he could not form any handsigns. A bald man with just a tuft of black hair on his chin looked down at Haku.

"You're going to stay here for a very, very long time," he said, grimacing demonically.

"What is the purpose of this?" questioned Haku.

"Oh, you see, there's still a reward for your capture…and a nice one at that. The Anbu have you on a most wanted list. As soon as they arrive here they're going to kill you and pay me," he replied coldly.

"But why? Why do they want me dead?! I'm not killing anyone now!"

"They don't care. They still view you as a potential threat."

"Just who are you?!?" ordered Haku fiercely.

"Well, I guess it won't hurt to tell you, since you're going to die anyway. I am Jin Yamaguchi, ninja from the village of Amegakure. Oh dear, look at the time. I must go have my tea. Toodles." He turned his back towards Haku, opened the jail cell door, walked out, closed it, and then locked it. "Oh, and don't worry. The Anbu will make sure you have a quick, painless death," said Jin, and then he walked off.

* * *

"What to do what to do what do," Sakura repeated to herself, pacing around Haku's room, "I can't tell my group or Kakashi, because they won't do anything about it. Inari is useless, Zabuza is dead…and if I look around for Haku by myself, I won't be able to return home before everyone wakes up, and if I'm not back by the time they wake up, they'll think I was kidnapped or something! What is a girl supposed to do in a time like this?"

* * *

Back at Inari's house, Naruto had just awoke from sleeping. It was two in the morning, according to his clock, but he had to poop…badly. The darkness inside the house blinded him, so he groped his way down the hall until he found what he thought was the bathroom. He stepped into the room, and his feet touched something soft; a sheet. Lightning from the storm lit up the room. In that split second he realized he wasn't in the bathroom, instead, he was in Sakura's room. And in that split second, he realized Sakura's bed was empty.

"Ah, I bet she had to use the bathroom too," he softly mumbled. He walked out of Sakura's room and felt his way to the bathroom door.

"Hey Sakura, are you in there?" he questioned quietly. No response. So, he opened the door, unzipped his pants, and sat down on the toilet. _Maybe Sakura is in the kitchen, grabbing a bite to eat. I'll check there afterwards, and if she's not there, I'll check her room._

After Naruto finished his business and washed his hands, he pulled a match out of his pocket, struck it against the wall, and walked to the kitchen. We he reached the kitchen, he grabbed a candle out of a cabinet, lit it, and blew out the match. It created a soft, peaceful light. However, he did not see Sakura, so he went back to see if she was in her room. She wasn't. Naruto began to panic. _If she's not in the kitchen, bathroom, or her own room, where could she be? Could somebody of kidnapped her? _In panic, he rushed to Kakashi's room and blurted out "Sakura's not in the house!" Kakashi woke up instantly.

"Say what?!"

"Sakura's missing! She's not in the house! I checked the bathroom, her room, and the kitchen! She's not anywhere to be found!"

"Naruto, wake up Sasuke and get him out of bed. I know he's still weak but we need all the help we can get. Get Tazuna awake too and have him ask the villagers if they saw her anywhere. We must act now!"

And while Naruto awoke everyone from their sleep, Sakura despaired, and Haku laid motionless in his confinement. Things were getting ugly, things were getting ugly real fast, and if something didn't happen soon, then things were going to stay ugly.

_**TO BE CONTINUED…**_


	5. Go

**DISCLAIMER: Oh boy, here I go again. I own none of these characters, except the one guy I made up, Jin Yamaguchi. But I guess even he belongs to Kishimoto-dono, since he is a ninja that hails from a village created by Kishimoto-dono. Just don't use him in any of your stories, since it will make me unhappy. Anyway, I plan to update a lot over the summer, so keep your computers ready! You'll never know when I'll crank out another chapter! Well, as usual, enjoy this fanfiction!**

* * *

**GO**

* * *

Tazuna rapped his knuckles against the side of a decaying wood door. It opened with a long, loud screech. "What do you want?" asked a sleepy-eyed man, stepping into the doorway.

"Have you seen a teenage girl anywhere? Her name is Sakura and she has pink hair and green eyes."

"No way man," replied the drowsy guy, rubbing his eyes gently, "Can't say that I have."

"Sorry to disturb you," Tazuna grumbled. The man shut the door. "Well, there's only a few more houses to go…" He exhaled deeply.

"Tazuna!" said a voice off in the distance.

"What? Have you found her?" questioned Tazuna, recognizing the voice. Kakashi walked into view. "No, I have not found her, but I found this," he said, holding out a melon.

"A melon? What was that doing in our house? We don't have the money to afford such lavish foods," said Tazuna.

"No, I found this in Sakura's room, under her bed. I believe she may of escaped your house to deliver this to someone," Kakashi answered.

"But why couldn't she deliver it during the day?"

"That's what I'm worried about. She may be dealing with someone questionable. Maybe some rogue ninjas or even an enemy village. I deployed my ninja dogs to sniff her out, but they haven't found anything y-"

"Woof!" Kakashi turned around. Pakkun stared up at the jounin. "Pakkun! You found something?!" Pakkun woofed in reply. "Alright, let's go boy!"

* * *

Haku stared at the ceiling, worried. He had no idea what the time was, but he feared every passing minute, knowing that it would bring him closer to his execution. "Poor Sakura," he thought, "She probably doesn't even know about this…"

* * *

"I had no clue this was back here…" Kakashi said to himself, surveying the small hut. Pakkun treaded nimbly before him, nostrils flaring above the dewy ground. The dog alerted. Kakashi gently pushed the door open, not making a sound. He heard crying, sniffling. He poked his head in, and saw his female student sitting on the ground, curled up in a ball, crying.

"Sakura! What are you doing out here?!" he interrogated, "Did someone bring you out here?" She looked up at him with red, puffy eyes. He walked over to her and bent down. "Sakura, what's going on?"

"He's gone…I can't find him."

"Find who?"

"Him…"

"Sakura? What is this "him"? What is his name?"

"I can't…I can't tell…"

"Sakura, please! Is he still around here? Is he coming back for you?"

"I can't tell you…I can't tell you…" she replied with racking sobs.

"SAKURA! PLEASE TELL ME!" Kakashi exploded with impatience.

"H-h-haku," she sputtered. Kakashi drew out a scroll.

"No! Please! He's not going to harm me!"

"How do you know that? Why do you think he dragged you out here?!"

"He didn't drag me out here. I came on my own."

Kakashi put the scroll back in his vest. "But why Sakura? He tried to kill us a few days ago. Why did you come here?"

"You wouldn't understand. You can't understand."

"It looks like I'll be back to babysitting," sighed Kakashi, grabbing Sakura's arm and helping her to her feet. "You're not leaving Tazuna's house until it's time to leave for Konoha."

* * *

Kakashi put Sakura into the window-less guestroom in the back of Tazuna's house. The room was quite bare, except for a sheeted bed and chair by the door. Kakashi sat on the chair, keeping his ever-watchful eyes on Sakura. The only decoration that adorned the room was a dusty framed calligraphy of the kanji "hope", which hung crooked on the wall. Sakura eyed it with hate. How could she have hope in such a grim situation? Then, she remembered something out of one of the shinobi textbooks she had read in the ninja academy. Use your surroundings to your advantage. There wasn't much around her. Just the room, her bed, the sheets on her bed, the chair that Kakashi was sitting on and the calligraphy. What was she going to do? Use some ninjutsu to knock down the walls and escape? No, she didn't want to ruin Tazuna's house, and besides, she wasn't strong enough yet to do that. Use genjutsu to make Kakashi think that his chair was trying to eat him? No, he wouldn't fall for it. Then, Sakura noticed that one of the bed sheets had a large, green stain on it.

"Hey, Kakashi, could you get me some different sheets…these are kinda dirty," said Sakura.

"I'll let Naruto get you some. I won't fall for that trick that easily," replied Kakashi, "Naruto! Get some clean sheets for Sakura and take away her dirty ones!"

"Yes sensei!" answered Naruto's annoying voice. Inner Sakura smiled. There was still hope, if she could pull this stunt off. Soon enough, Naruto came into the room carrying clean sheets. Sakura balled up the old sheets, and handed them to Naruto. He placed the new ones down on her bed.

"Thanks," she said, "Now I can take my nap." She laid down on her bed and pulled the sheets up to her chest. Uncomfortable, she turned on her side, her back facing Kakashi. She put her hands under the sheets and listened to Naruto's footsteps. As soon as she heard the front door open, she waited three seconds, and then performed a hand sign. Then, the world went black.

However, that didn't last for long. Sakura regained her consciousness and found herself outside, on top of a pile of dirty clothes. Tsunami was outside, but she had her back turned towards Sakura. She was busy scrubbing the washboard for the clothes. Sakura had pulled the stunt off, at least, for the most part. When Sakura was lying on her bed with her new sheets, she used Bunshin no jutsu to create the illusion that she was resting, and used the replacement technique to switch the positions of the old sheets and herself.

Now, she had to uphold the illusion at least until she was far enough away from Tazuna's house. She tiptoed out of Tazuna's yard, hands still pressed together for the illusion. Sakura could feel the ache in her hands as her chakra diminished. She did what she had to do; she ran. It didn't matter if Tsunami saw her, she couldn't do anything but scream for help. Thankfully though, she didn't hear her, and Sakura relaxed her hands. After all, it would take awhile for Kakashi to realize the illusion had been dropped. He was probably reading Makeout Paradise.

* * *

Once Sakura had got into town, she stopped running and sat down outside of a bar. She gasped, like a beached fish, for breath. She hadn't run so much in a long time. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. Something caught her attention however. It was a conversation between two men. They sounded like they were just around the corner, in the alley next to the bar. She controlled her breathing and strained her ears to listen.

"Ah, so it's going to be public?"

"Yes. I had originally planned for it to be discreet, but it is most important I win the favor of the villagers…they will be quite pleased to see justice done."

"Very wise. When is the Anbu arriving?"

"Around noon. He plans to do the killing by decapitation. It will be quick and painless, yet the blood will be quite a show. The villagers will love it."

"Indeed. So, what is the sum of this Haku character?"

Sakura let out a small gasp. Haku was still alive, but he wouldn't be for much longer if she didn't do something. She had messed up her chance earlier, but this time, she would not cry. She wouldn't hide in fear of what might happen. And so, she stepped out into the alleyway.

_**TO BE CONTINUED…**_


	6. Roku

**DISCLAIMER:** Ohayou gozaimasu, my fellow readers. For now on my disclaimers will say "I don't own Naruto, you will not sue" for the disclaimer to keep it short and non-obnoxious. So, here it goes. I don't own Naruto, you will not sue. Now that it's over, you may enjoy this chapter of Melting.

* * *

Once Sakura had got into town, she stopped running and sat down outside of a bar. She gasped, like a beached fish, for breath. She hadn't run so much in a long time. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. Something caught her attention however. It was a conversation between two men. They sounded like they were just around the corner, in the alley next to the bar. She controlled her breathing and strained her ears to listen.

"Ah, so it's going to be public?"

"Yes. I had originally planned for it to be discreet, but it is most important I win the favor of the villagers…they will be quite pleased to see justice done."

"Very wise. When is the Anbu arriving?"

"Around noon. He plans to do the killing by decapitation. It will be quick and painless, yet the blood will be quite a show. The villagers will love it."

"Indeed. So, what is the sum of this Haku character?"

Sakura let out a small gasp. Haku was still alive, but he wouldn't be for much longer if she didn't do something. She had messed up her chance earlier, but this time, she would not cry. She wouldn't hide in fear of what might happen. And so, she stepped out into the alleyway.

"When and where is the execution taking place?!?" questioned Sakura hurriedly. The two men looked at her intensely.

"You sure are excited about it…" said the man on Sakura's right, "Why are you so anxious to know?" His voice was eerily soothing. Sakura couldn't make out his physical features due to the shadiness of the area.

"B-because I have never seen an execution before!" Sakura lied.

"Ah, so you want to see your first blood…I understand. The execution will be at twelve o' clock sharp at the village square. Don't forget it, and run along now. There's nothing else to hear from us old men."

"Yes," said Sakura, quickly running away. When the two men saw that she was gone, they resumed their talking.

"That kid…did she seem a bit suspicious to you?" asked the man opposite the one with the soothing voice.

"Nah, she was just your run-of-the-mill teenybopper scooping up the latest gossip. Nothing to worry about."

"But Yamaguchi san, you saw the headband she wore with the Hidden Leaf symbol on it…what if she is allied with the boy?"

"I doubt it. She didn't seem the type. Besides, she's just a kunoichi. What is she going to do, stop an Anbu using shampoo and eyeshadow?"

"Good point…I guess I got too worried. Forgive me older brother."

"All is forgiven. Now, are you going to finish that beer of yours?"

* * *

Sakura leaned herself against a no longer functioning fountain. She still couldn't stop breathing heavily. _I pulled that off perfectly…if I had done that any differently, they may of suspected me of plotting or something…_ She glanced up at a clock on the side of a nearby building. It read nine thirty. _That's still two hours and thirty minutes…I have to find some way to save Haku…but how? If they're sending an Anbu out to dispose of him, then it's going to be near impossible to help him…but still, I have to try. First off, how does the Anbu dispose of enemy shinobi. _Sakura strained her mind trying to remember how the Anbu disposed of shinobi. She sure hadn't read anything about it in the textbooks (the school board made sure to leave the gory details out of Ninja Academy textbooks). She was also sure that Iruka-sensei never told her either. But what about Kakashi sensei? He had been an Anbu once, but she couldn't go out and ask him for fear of being locked up again in that room. Sakura furrowed her eyebrows in concentration. That's when Inner Sakura spoke up.

"You big dummy! You should of paid more attention back at Tazuna's house!" Inner Sakura snarled, "When Kakashi was healing from his battle wounds, he said that they used crows! Duh!" Then, Inner Sakura retreated to the recesses of her host's mind. Sakura smiled, and began to devise her plan.

* * *

_Now go find your real purpose and live!_ Those words kept echoing in Haku's mind, insulting his very existence. He couldn't find his purpose if he was going to die soon. No amount of contemplation could do it. But had he already found it? No! _If I don't want to go to hell, then I can't be someone else's tool!_ Sure, living for Sakura's love was a purpose, but it couldn't be his only purpose. What if she were to die? What would keep him going? Haku cringed at the thought. He still hadn't found his true purpose, and the fact that he was about to die didn't help. Life could be so cruel. _But what if by chance I am able to live? What if the executioner somehow doesn't kill me?I may still be able to find it…_Despite the darkness of the room, there was a small flame that illuminated the gloom. It wasn't of a candle or a torch. It was the hope in Haku's heart that he may be able to get through the mess he was in and see a brighter future.

* * *

"Hey, Kakashi sensei, don't you think that we should just give up this wild cherry blossom chase? Sakura wouldn't be escaping from us if she didn't have a good reason…" Naruto commented noisily.

"She may be thirteen, but she still isn't mature yet. She can't make rational decisions like an adult can," retorted Kakashi, pacing around the front of Tazuna's house.

"Hey! Hey!" said a young, boyish voice. Kakashi and Naruto turned their attention to a young boy who was running full force towards the Tazuna household.

"What is it?" asked Kakashi.

"There's going to be an execution at the village square today at twelve o'clock! Some Anbu from the Hidden Leaf village is going to be executing some bigshot shinobi! Rumors say that he's an expat from the Village Hidden in the Mist!"

"That's quite interesting," said Kakashi, rubbing his chin," Do you know who, exactly?"

"I think it was Hako or Hachi…some guy with an H name," the boy answered.

"Thank-you. We'll be sure to be there," Kakashi said. The boy nodded his head, and then ran back towards the village.

"Kakashi-sensei, why are we going there?" questioned Naruto, cocking his head slightly.

"If Sakura willingly met up with Haku earlier, and since she escaped us a few hours ago, I believe that there may be something going on. I want to ask Haku a few questions before his execution. That's all."

"I see"

* * *

In the village square, nearly the whole population of the village was gathered around an elevated wooden platform. On the platform was a table and a couple of harnesses. According to the clock in the square, the time was eleven thirty. Sakura made sure she stood as close to the platform as possible. Her canteen, which she always carried with her, was full of water. She grasped it tightly in her hands. Sakura's plan was to throw the water at Haku when the Anbu arrived so that he could strike down the ninja with some water jutsu of his. She just hoped that they wouldn't tie up his hands. That would cause some problems.

* * *

The door to Haku's cell opened and two burly men entered. "It's about your time kid," said one of the men.

"Alright," replied Haku. One man popped the restraints off Haku.

"Sit up," commanded the other. Haku did as he was told.

"Put your arms behind your back," said the same man. Haku put his arms behind his back. The man tied them together, making sure that the rope was extra tight. He took Haku's hair, pushed it to the side, and fastened a collar to the boy's neck. Next, he attached a leash.

"Now get up and start walking," said the man who put the leash on him. Haku stood up and began to walk towards his fate.

* * *

Kakashi stood in the back row, next to Naruto. Sasuke was sleeping in and Inari's family had chose not to come.

"When is Haku going to come?" Naruto asked, bored.

"In about ten or so minutes. Be patient," scolded Kakashi.

"Do you even think we'll get to ask him anything?"

"It's worth a shot. If not, we can just continue searching for Sakura with the ninja hounds."

* * *

"Make way, make way," said a loud, yet soothing voice. Sakura, and the rest of the crowd, turned their head in the direction of the voice. A thin, wiry man, who was completely bald and only had a little patch of hair on his chin made his way through the crowd. He was followed by a short man who looked as if he could be his younger brother. The two stepped up on the platform. The thin man adjusted something on his collar and waved to the crowd.

"Hello, my fellow townspeople," he spoke, "I know how much suffering we must go through each day. For such a long time greedy businessmen and cold-blooded bandits have brutalized this village. They have stole our money, stole our wives and killed our children, all of the things dear to us. Well fear not my brothers and sisters, for today is the beginning of a new era! This is the era of justice and I, Jin Yamaguchi, will lead you into a new era! No longer will we deal with lowlifes who feed off us like parasites! No longer will our wives have to hide in their houses for fear of being raped! No longer will our innocents be slaughtered! Today marks the beginning of the era of justice, and we shall start it by repaying our blood with theirs! Today, I bring you a foul traitor of this village! Yes, you heard me, a traitor! The vilest of the vile! The worst of the worst! I bring you Haku the Traitor of the Village Hidden in the Mist! Behold this abomination!"

The whole village square went silent. A creaky door opened, breaking the silence. Haku stepped out, followed by two large but strong men. The crowd made a path for them, and began to boo and hiss. One man picked a half-eaten apple off the ground and lobbed it at the boy. It Haku square on the cheek and left a bluish-black mark. Other people joined in and threw bits of trash at him.

"You foul vermin! You deserve to die!" shouted one lady. She stepped out of the crowd and shoved Haku with such force that he fell to the ground. He fell headfirst and banged his forehead against the shoe of a man. He felt some blood trickle down his forehead. The man holding his leash yanked his collar. Haku stood up and an insidious voice chuckled in his head. _Still have hope, do you?_ Haku furrowed his eyebrows and thought in reposne _Shut up! _The evil voice came back. _Do you honestly think that you're going to be spared? You're going to die. Just face it._ Somebody punched Haku on the side of his face where he had been hit by the apple. The bruise ruptured and dribbled blood. The man with the leash pulled again.

"Get up the stairs," he said. Haku followed his orders and climbed the platform's stairs. Next, the two men led him over to the table, laid him down, strapped him in, and removed the leash and collar. Jin's brother pulled out a pocket watch.

"Eleven fifty-seven. He should be here any moment," he mumbled. As if on cue, a poof of smoke appeared on the platform. When it cleared away, a man in a wolf's mask stood standing. He wore full Anbu attire.

"You may begin," said Jin. The Anbu nodded in response and pulled out a scroll from his uniform. He unraveled the scroll, and pulled out a small canister containing a red fluid. Blood.

"I have to act fast! It won't take long if he's using a summoning jutsu!" Sakura murmured. She tensed her arms, getting ready to throw the canteen. The Anbu pulled the cork out of the canister and smeared its contents across the scroll. Sakura positioned herself to throw.

"Tora tora ushi tora tora inu tora tora hebi tora tora hitsuji," chanted the Anbu. At least two dozen little poofs of smoke appeared in the sky, which were subsequently replaced by crows. The crows charged towards their victim. Sakura threw the canteen. A loud spattering noise resounded throughout the village square.

_**TO BE CONTINUED…**_


End file.
